Entrepreneurial

Veteran Institute for Procurement

National Center for Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) is a veteran entrepreneurship program that specifically addresses federal procurement. VIP offers a platform with three (3) training programs to assist our veterans. VIP GROW is our core curriculum which assists companies in developing strategies to expand and operate within the federal marketplace. Our VIP START program is for companies wanting to enter the federal market and become procurement ready. Our VIP INTERNATIONAL program is for companies that want to enter or expand their federal and commercial contracting opportunities overseas.

The core curriculums of GROW, START, and INTERNATIONAL are accelerator‐like in‐residence educational training program for owners, principals, and C‐level executives of VOSB/SDVOSBs. The programs consist of a 27‐hour, 3‐day comprehensive certification program. Program covers over 20 topics such as contracting, teaming agreements, human resources, accounting, finance, program controls, and business development

Classroom training is offered four times per year

Qualified participants from 50 SDVOSBs and VOSBs nationwide are enrolled on a first come first served basis for each class. Instructors are professional service experts, government officials, and agency representatives.
The training takes place at the Bolger Center, a 500‐hotel room conference training facility we lease from the U.S. Postal Service. The Bolger Center is located just 11 miles from the White House.

Participants only cover travel cost to and from the Washington, DC area VIP is offered at no cost to participants

The VIP Programs are fully funded by the Montgomery County Chamber Community Foundation (MCCCF). MCCCF funds this program through a public-private partnership is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), support from the State of Maryland and private sponsorships. The VIP classes are offered to one executive from each of the enrolled veteran-owned businesses. Class size is limited to 50 individuals. VIP enrollment is open to Veteran-owned businesses nationwide.

In April 2016, VIP START was launched to train service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) and veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB) who want to enter or need help to expand their business growth into the federal marketplace. VIP START has graduated 197 veteran-owned businesses from 19 states plus Washington, D.C.

In October 2015, VIP GROW celebrated a milestone achievement of graduating its 500th VIP GROW participant. Since the program launched in 2009, VIP GROW has graduated 777 veteran-owned businesses from 43 states plus DC and Guam. In March 2018, the VIP Training Program celebrated yet another milestone of graduating over 1,000th VIP graduates.

In March 2017, VIP INTERNATIONAL was launched to train service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) and veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB) that want to enter and/or expand their federal and commercial contracting opportunities overseas. VIP INTERNATIONAL graduated 47 companies from 11 states plus DC and Guam.